HEART OF KINDNESS

Dr Ramana Rao has been running a free Sunday clinic near Bengaluru for 51 years. He has treated almost 18 lakh patients, setting a benchmark in rural health care

- PRATHIMA NANDAKUMAR

A left turn about 30km from Bengaluru on the National Highway linking the Karnataka capital with Pune leads to Dr Ramana Rao Road in Byadarahalli village. On Sundays, it is common to find a large number of men and women on the road, patiently waiting to be examined by Dr Ramana Rao, the 73-year-old cardiologist who runs a free clinic, ‘Bhanuvara Grama Chikitsalaya’ (Sunday village clinic).

Rao’s sprawling farmhouse comes alive on Sundays when specialist doctors from Bengaluru drive down to treat patients from neighbouring villages and districts. Many of the patients would leave their homes the previous day and spend the night in the shelter outside the clinic, which has been running uninterrupted for the past 51 years. It has treated almost 18 lakh patients, setting a benchmark in rural service.

Choudamma from Doddaballapura and Sulthan Bi from Gauribidanur are among the many women who have been visiting the clinic for the past 30 years. “I get treated for all my ailments as it is free and the medicines always work. Like me, many women suffer from age-related illnesses, weak bones, leg pain, body ache and weakness,” said the 55-year-old.

Pushpamma of Basapura village suffers from osteoporosis. “We work as daily wagers, domestic helps and farm hands and we also do our household chores,” she said. “But our livelihood depends on hard work. We get our daily dose of medicines and self-care kits, blankets and walking sticks. The clinic is part of our life.”